ZCZC MIATCDAT1 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM TROPICAL STORM KATE DISCUSSION NUMBER 24 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 11 AM EDT WED OCT 01 2003 ANALYSES FROM THE CIMSS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SHOW THAT THE VERTICAL SHEAR OVER KATE HAS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST 24 HR...AND THE STORM IS RESPONDING. WHILE THE CONVECTIVE TOPS ARE RELATIVELY WARM...KATE NOW HAS AN EXCELLENT BANDING PATTERN WITH A FORMATIVE EYE. SATELLITE INTENSITY ESTIMATES ARE 55 KT FROM TAFB AND SAB...AND BASED ON THAT AND THE DEVELOPING EYE THE MAXIMUM WINDS ARE INCREASED TO 60 KT. CIRRUS OUTFLOW IS GOOD OVER THE WEST QUADRANT AND POOR ELSEWHERE. THE INITIAL MOTION IS 265/10. KATE IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF A DEEP-LAYER RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC...WITH A MID/UPPER-LEVEL CYCLONIC SHEAR AXIS ALONG 30N BETWEEN 38W-48W. THE RIDGE SHOULD STEER KATE ON A WESTWARD TO WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD TRACK FOR 48-72 HR...AS INDICATED BY ALL THE DYNAMICAL MODELS. THINGS GET A LITTLE NEBULOUS AFTER 72 HR AS KATE APPROACHES THE WESTERN END OF THE RIDGE. MOST GUIDANCE TURNS THE STORM TOWARD THE NORTHWEST. HOWEVER...THE NOGAPS CALLS FOR A CONTINUED WESTWARD TO WEST- SOUTHWESTWARD TRACK DUE TO A SECOND VORTEX THAT THE MODEL DEVELOPS SOUTHEAST OF KATE. THIS DEVELOPMENT APPEARS DUBIOUS AT THIS TIME...SO THE FORECAST TRACK WILL CALL FOR A NORTHWESTWARD TURN. OVERALL...THE TRACK IS AN UPDATE OF THE PREVIOUS PACKAGE AND DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE GUIDANCE ENVELOPE. WHILE THE DETAILS DIFFER...LARGE-SCALE MODELS ALL FORECAST GENERALLY FAVORABLE UPPER-LEVEL WINDS THROUGH 72 HR. THIS WOULD ALLOW KATE TO STRENGTHEN IF THE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE WARM ENOUGH. THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK TAKES THE STORM OVER 27C SSTS...SO GIVEN THAT AND CURRENT TRENDS THE INTENSITY FORECAST IS NUDGED UPWARD FROM THE PREVIOUS PACKAGE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IF KATE DOES NOT DIP AS FAR SOUTH AS FORECAST...IT WILL STAY OVER 25-26C SSTS WHICH WOULD AT LEAST SLOW INTENSIFICATION. THE LARGE-SCALE MODELS FORECAST KATE TO ENCOUNTER SIGNIFICANT WESTERLIES AFTER 72 HR...SO THE INTENSITY FORECAST WILL CALL FOR WEAKENING DURING THAT TIME. FORECASTER BEVEN FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 01/1500Z 32.2N 40.2W 60 KT 12HR VT 02/0000Z 31.9N 42.0W 65 KT 24HR VT 02/1200Z 31.5N 44.3W 70 KT 36HR VT 03/0000Z 31.2N 46.8W 75 KT 48HR VT 03/1200Z 31.0N 49.1W 75 KT 72HR VT 04/1200Z 31.5N 52.5W 75 KT 96HR VT 05/1200Z 32.5N 55.0W 70 KT 120HR VT 06/1200Z 35.0N 57.0W 65 KT NNNN
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Page last modified: Monday, 07-Feb-2005 16:49:59 UTC